£98 million to make social homes across Wales warmer, healthier and fit for the future

Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant, has today announced funding for the next round of the Optimised Retrofit Programme (ORP), bringing the total investment since 2020 to more than £466 million. 

The programme funds improvements including insulation, efficient heating systems and renewable energy installations in social housing. To date, the programme has funded more than 31,000 energy efficiency upgrades to social homes across Wales, including insulation, solar panels and heat pumps. 

The announcement was made during a visit to Tŷ Gwyrddfai Decarbonisation Hub in North Wales, where the Cabinet Secretary met apprentices training for careers in the housing decarbonisation sector. 

She also toured nearby Trem yr Wyddfa, where 51 properties are receiving energy efficiency improvements including external wall insulation, new windows and doors, and environmental monitoring systems. The project has received £579,000 in ORP funding, with housing association Adra contributing a further £1.5 million. 

The Cabinet Secretary said: "This Government is determined to ensure our social housing sector offers safe, comfortable, healthy and low carbon homes to its tenants. 

"This latest investment will enable social landlords to continue making vital improvements to homes across Wales, cutting household bills whilst reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It was great to meet two of the residents and hear what a difference this work has made to their homes.

"The Optimised Retrofit Programme does more than improve housing quality and reduce our carbon footprint - it creates local job opportunities, strengthens low-carbon supply chains, and builds the skills we need for the green economy.  

"Meeting the apprentices at Tŷ Gwyrddfai demonstrated the real career opportunities this sector offers communities across North Wales. My dad was a plasterer and tiler, so I have great respect for these skills, which are in high demand. These are good jobs, close to home, making a real difference."

Iwan Trefor Jones, Chief Executive of Adra, said: "We welcome the continued commitment to improving the energy efficiency of social homes across Wales. 

"Our tenants tell us they want homes that are comfortable, secure and affordable to heat. Investment like this makes a real difference to their quality of life by reducing fuel poverty and cutting energy bills. 

"Through our decarbonisation hub at Tŷ Gwyrddfai, we're also building the skilled workforce needed to deliver these improvements for years to come. 

"We look forward to continuing to work with Welsh Government to invest in our homes and the people who live in them." 

ENDS